Current Weather Outlook
Statewide weather outlook from Florida Division of Emergency Management Meteorology
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
...Dense Fog this Morning Along Portions of Nature Coast; Additional Areas Across I-75 Corridor...Foggy Conditions and Low Clouds Throughout the State to Gradually Lift and Dissipate During Morning Hours...Mostly Dry Conditions Return Statewide...Slight Chance for Showers for Southeast Florida Coastline Later in the Day...Sensitive Wildfire Conditions Throughout North and Central Florida Due to Near Critical Relative Humidity Values...Clear and Calm Conditions Persist Overnight; Chance for Showers to Continue Along Southeast Florida Overnight...Patchy Fog Possible Statewide by Thursday Morning; Instances of Locally Dense Fog Cannot Be Ruled Out...Moderate Risk for Rip Currents Along Numerous Panhandle and East Coast Beaches...
Updated at 8:56 AM EST
Today's Threats:
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No Threat |
Low Threat |
Medium Threat |
High Threat |
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Lightning |
Tornado |
Damaging Wind/Hail |
Flash Flooding |
Fire Weather |
Freezing (Overnight) |
Fog (Overnight) |
Rip Currents |
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North & Central FL |
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Locally Panhandle Statewide |
Panhandle, East Coast & Southwest FL Northeast FL & West Coast |
Weather Summary for the Next 24 Hours:
Dense Fog Advisories extend across portions of Nature Coast, with additional areas of locally dense fog along the I-75 corridor. Foggy conditions and low clouds will create reduced visibility as low as a mile or less at times. As the sun continues to rise through the morning hours, fog will gradually lift and dissipate.
Weak high pressure will settle in across the Sunshine State allowing for mostly dry conditions to return. Enough moisture and onshore winds along Southeast Florida may allow for a few brief showers to move onshore this afternoon and evening; however, drier conditions may limit shower activity as they move onshore (10-20% chance of rain). Sensitive wildfire conditions will be possible this afternoon throughout North and Central Florida as relative humidity values fall near and below critical thresholds (25-45%). Light winds and recent rainfall will help to limit widespread conditions, but ongoing drought conditions in some areas may create a locally greater chance.
High temperatures will reach the lower to middle 70s along the coastlines and middle to upper 70s, possibly near 80-degrees, throughout the interior regions across the state.
Mostly calm and quiet conditions can be expected overnight throughout the state, with instances of brief showers continuing to move onshore along the Southeast Florida coastline late this evening and overnight (20-30% chance of rain). Calm and clear skies overnight, along with winds shifting out of the south, patchy fog will be possible across the state by sunrise Thursday morning. Instances of locally dense fog cannot be ruled out in some areas.
Low temperatures will fall into the upper 40s to lower 50s across North Florida, middle 50s to lower 60s across Central Florida and 60s throughout South Florida.
Rip Currents: A moderate risk for rip currents will can be expected along numerous Panhandle and East Coast beaches. A low risk for rip currents can be expected along Northeast Florida beaches and much of the West Coast. For the latest Rip Current Outlook, visit www.weather.gov/beach.
Marine Hazards: Calmer marine conditions will return across Gulf and West Coast beaches as wave heights return to 1-2'. An ocean swell off the Florida East Coast will linger through today creating wave heights of 2-4', with the greatest wave heights along Treasure Coast beaches.
Red Tide has been observed in 37 samples collected from Florida (valid 2/21). Background to low concentrations have been observed in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Charlotte, Collier, Okaloosa, and Duval Counties. Background to medium concentrations have been observed offshore of Monroe County. Background to high concentrations have been observed in Sarasota County. Fish kills and respiratory irritation have been reported from and/or offshore of Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier, and Monroe Counties.
Coastal Flooding: Coastal flooding is not expected today.
Fire Weather: Dense Fog has developed this morning across portions of the Big Bend and I-75 corridor, with additional areas of patchy fog throughout the state. Foggy conditions and low clouds will gradually lift and dissipate this morning. Weak high pressure will allow for dry conditions to return across the state throughout the day. Northerly to northwesterly winds will bring drier air across North and Central Florida allowing for relative humidity values to fall near and below critical thresholds (25-45%). Sensitive wildfire conditions will develop this afternoon throughout North and Central Florida as winds will remain below 10 mph and recent rainfall has saturated the grounds and soils. Patchy fog can be anticipated across the state by sunrise Thursday morning, with instances of locally dense fog possible. Foggy conditions may further reduce visibility where there are ongoing wildfires. According to the Florida Forest Service, there are 15 active wildfires across the state burning approximately 371 acres.
Drought: It was a very wet week (as of 2/20) for the Southeast U.S., except for the Florida Peninsula. Temperatures across most of the state continue to run about 6-9-degrees above normal. Along the west coast of Florida, where conditions have been the driest over the past week, the short-term drought indicators allowed for the introduction of Severe Drought in some areas on this week’s Drought Monitor update (valid 2/20) in additional to the already existing area of Severe Drought remaining south of Lake Okeechobee in Palm Beach and Hendry Counties. Abnormally Dry (emerging drought) to Moderate Drought conditions remain in place across much of the rest of the Peninsula from the Keys northward towards the I-4 corridor. Abnormally Dry conditions also persist across the Eastern Panhandle and Western Big Bend, despite recent wetting rains. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is outlooking near to below normal temperatures and below normal rainfall statewide over the next week or so, which may allow for further worsening of drought conditions.
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 283 (-55) on a scale from 0 (very wet) to 800 (very dry). There are 8 Florida counties (Broward, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, and Palm Beach) with an average KBDI over 500 (drought/increased fire danger).
Flash Flooding: There is no risk for flash flooding.
Riverine Flooding: Several rivers along the Panhandle and Big Bend have reached Action Stage (bank-full) from recent heavy rainfall however, riverine flooding is not expected at this time. There are no additional riverine concerns at this time. For more information, visit the River Forecast Center.
Lake Okeechobee’s average elevation is 13.81 feet, which is within the operational band and is 0.73 feet below normal for this time of year.
